Meanwhile, the number of long-term unemployed, or those out of work for 27 weeks or more, remains at 3.4 million people, or 34.6 percent of the jobless. And there are the millions of people who are said to have given up looking for work.

Who's hiring

CNBC's Steve Liesman speaks to Nigel Chalk, IMF U.S. mission chief, about the IMF's commendation for the U.S. to raise its minimum wage. Chalk also comments on Iraq's impact on growth in the U.S.

But finding a job requires a lot more than submitting a resume online, said Bob Funk, chairman and CEO of Express. "There's a misconception that using the Internet is the only way to find work," he said.

"People really need to go out in person, beat the pavement so to speak, and make face-to-face connections," Funk added. "It's difficult to do, but it's a game-changer when it comes to finding a job."

Read MoreMeasuring recovery? Count the employed

Funk said that it's the smaller firms rather than larger companies that are doing much of the hiring, and those are the types of companies that prefer meeting a job candidate in the flesh. He emphasized the need for job seekers to network with others in the field they want to enter.

Time looking

While 90 percent of those surveyed said they are working hard to find a job, the amount of time they spend doing so varies greatly.